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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:

  • That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
  • We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
  • On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.

By learning about Dry Valley (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.

As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Dry Valley. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.

Name Variations for Dry Valley ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Dry Valley: Dry Vly. (or less commonly used: Dry Vally. or Dry Vlly.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Dry Valley. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Dry Valley.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

Neighboring Counties ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived:  their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Dry Valley is located in Montague County.

To see how the shape of Texas' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Montague County: Jefferson (OK), Love (OK), Clay, Cooke, Jack & Wise.

Below are the counties that are near Dry Valley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Dry Valley:

  • Montague County     (The home county of Dry Valley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.
    • Salona
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Salona is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salona
    • Dye
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Dye is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dye
    • Forestburg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Montague
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Fruitland
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Fruitland is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruitland
    • Sunset
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Hardy
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Hardy is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
    • New Harp
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • New Harp is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Harp
    • Bowie
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Bowie is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,140 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bowie <1>
    • Saint Jo
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Bonita
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Bonita is located in Montague County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonita
    • Nocona
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.
    • Bellevue
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Newport
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Newport is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
    • Joy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Joy is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joy
  • Cooke County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.
    • Rosston
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Hood
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Hood is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hood
    • Muenster
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Myra
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Era
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Marysville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Marysville is located in Cooke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysville
    • Lindsay
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Valley View
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Denton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.
    • Bolivar
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bolivar is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivar
    • Stony
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Stony is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony
  • Jack County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.
    • Postoak
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Postoak is located in Jack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Postoak
    • Wizard Wells
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Wizard Wells is located in Jack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wizard Wells
  • Wise County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.
    • Park Springs
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Park Springs is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Springs
    • Alvord
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Greenwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Chico
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Slidell
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Decatur
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Bridgeport
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Lake Bridgeport
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Lake Bridgeport is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Bridgeport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 405 people
    • Paradise
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Herman
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Herman is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herman
    • Runaway Bay
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Jefferson County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.
    • Fleetwood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Fleetwood is located in Jefferson County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleetwood
    • Terral
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Terral is located in Jefferson County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terral
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 382 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Terral <1>
    • Petersburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Petersburg is located in Jefferson County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
    • Oscar
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Love County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.
    • Leon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Leon is located in Love County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Leon <1>
    • Jimtown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Jimtown is located in Love County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jimtown

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Dry Valley, see our County-by-County Page for Dry Valley.

Cemeteries Near Dry Valley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dry Valley.

This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.

Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Dry Valley - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Dry Valley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.

  • Denver Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Huddelston Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Scrougy Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Jackson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mallard Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Fryer Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Mitchell Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Tage Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Peters Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Brushy Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Forestburg Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Dye Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (115 more) ...
    • Lindale Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Lake Valley Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Lake Valley Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)

Nearby Communities in 1895 ...

We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<4>

While we didn't find Dry Valley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Dry Valley.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Dry Valley, with the one closest to Dry Valley listed first.

  • Salona
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Salona is located in Montague County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salona
  • Dye
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Dye is located in Montague County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dye
  • Montague
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Forestburg
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Sunset
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Hardy
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Hardy is located in Montague County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
  • Bowie
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Bowie is located in Montague County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowie
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,140 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bowie <1>
  • Alvord
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Saint Jo
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Rosston
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Bonita
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Bonita is located in Montague County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonita
  • Nocona
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Crafton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Crafton is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crafton
    • Greenwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Chico
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Dry Valley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Dry Valley.

Newspapers Published in Dry Valley ...

An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).

To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.

Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dry Valley.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Dry Valley, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Dry Valley.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.

To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Dry Valley:

Footnotes ...

<1>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<2>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Dry Valley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.
<4>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Dry Valley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.